Sheffield City Trust working with the NHS on drive-through blood tests

Posted by: Claudia Downs 9th April 2020

Sheffield City Trust is working with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals to operate a drive-through blood test service in the FlyDSA Arena Sheffield car park.

At present, vulnerable patients are being asked to follow strict social distance guidelines to protect their wellbeing. Entering hospitals for regular tests increases the likelihood of infection to those who are already at risk. By setting up a drive-through blood testing service patients can continue to receive their routine testing but in a safer environment.

Andrew Snelling, Chief Executive of Sheffield City Trust: “We opted to close our venues ahead of government guidance, and since doing this we’ve been working closely with the NHS and Sheffield City Council to find areas in which we can help. It’s good to know that, despite not being open for business, Sheffield City Trust is having such an impact on the health and wellbeing of Sheffield and ensuring the safety of the more vulnerable members of society.”

Recently, Sheffield City Trust offered the arena as a storage facility to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals who were looking to make room for a new consignment of beds. So, as well as the car park testing site, the arena is now being used as a warehouse to store around 1,800 old beds belonging to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

Patients will be contacted about using the facilities by the hospital. For patients who cannot use the drive-through service, blood tests will continue at the Hallamshire and Northern General Hospitals but with additional measures in place to limit the risk of transmission of infection.